This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Kilani's book "Al-Wala Wal Bara" .
حکم الإحسان لغیر الضارین من الکفار
It is commanded to treat non-Muslims who do not harbor enmity towards Islam and Muslims with kindness and justice according to the requirements of fairness.
[لَا یَنۡہٰىکُمُ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الَّذِیۡنَ لَمۡ یُقَاتِلُوۡکُمۡ فِی الدِّیۡنِ وَ لَمۡ یُخۡرِجُوۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ دِیَارِکُمۡ اَنۡ تَبَرُّوۡہُمۡ وَ تُقۡسِطُوۡۤا اِلَیۡہِمۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ یُحِبُّ الۡمُقۡسِطِیۡنَ]،[اِنَّمَا یَنۡہٰىکُمُ اللّٰہُ عَنِ الَّذِیۡنَ قٰتَلُوۡکُمۡ فِی الدِّیۡنِ وَ اَخۡرَجُوۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ دِیَارِکُمۡ وَ ظٰہَرُوۡا عَلٰۤی اِخۡرَاجِکُمۡ اَنۡ تَوَلَّوۡہُمۡ ۚ وَ مَنۡ یَّتَوَلَّہُمۡ فَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الظّٰلِمُوۡنَ]
Those who have not fought against you in the matter of religion nor driven you out of your homes, Allah does not forbid you from being kind and just to them, for indeed Allah loves those who act justly. Allah forbids you from loving those who have fought against you in the matter of your religion, driven you out of your homes, and helped one another in doing so. Those who befriend such disbelievers are the wrongdoers.
Reference: (Surah Al-Mumtahina: 8-9)
It is the responsibility of the Islamic government to protect the lives and property of loyal subjects and dhimmis.
[عن عبد الله بن عمرو رضي الله عنه، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: من قتل معاهدا لم يرح رائحة الجنة، وإن ريحها توجد من مسيرة أربعين عاما]
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr رضي الله عنهما that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: Whoever kills a Dhimmi (unjustly) will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, while the fragrance of Paradise can be smelled from a distance of forty years.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:3166
[عن عمر رضي الله عنه، قال: وأوصيه بذمة الله وذمة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يوفى لهم بعهدهم، وأن يقاتل من ورائهم ولا يكلفوا إلا طاقتهم]
Sayyiduna Umar رضي الله عنه advised (the caliph who would come after him at the time of his departure from this world) that he be advised to fulfill the covenant made with the Dhimmis, considering it the responsibility of Allah and His Messenger, to fight to protect their lives from non-Dhimmis (disbelievers), and not to cause them more harm than they can bear (i.e., not to collect more jizya than they are capable of paying).
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:3052
The command is to treat polytheist parents with respect and honor despite their enmity towards Islam.
[وَ اِنۡ جَاہَدٰکَ عَلٰۤی اَنۡ تُشۡرِکَ بِیۡ مَا لَیۡسَ لَکَ بِہٖ عِلۡمٌ ۙ فَلَا تُطِعۡہُمَا وَ صَاحِبۡہُمَا فِی الدُّنۡیَا مَعۡرُوۡفًا ۫ وَّ اتَّبِعۡ سَبِیۡلَ مَنۡ اَنَابَ اِلَیَّ ۚ ثُمَّ اِلَیَّ مَرۡجِعُکُمۡ فَاُنَبِّئُکُمۡ بِمَا کُنۡتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ]
And if your parents pressure you to associate with Me someone you do not know, then do not obey them in that matter at all, but continue to treat both of them kindly in the world, and follow the path of the one who has turned to Me; then all of you will return to Me, and I will inform you of what you used to do.
Reference: (Surah Luqman:15)
[عن أسماء بنت أبي بكر رضي الله عنهما، قالت: قدمت علي أمي وهي مشركة في عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فاستفتيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، قلت: وهي راغبة، أفأصل أمي؟ قال: نعم، صلي أمك]
Sayyida Asma (may Allah be pleased with her) (daughter of Abu Bakr Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him) says: My mother came to Medina at a time when the peace treaty (Hudaybiyyah) had been made between the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Quraysh of Mecca. Her father (i.e., Sayyida Asma's grandfather) was also with her. I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): My mother has come and she hates Islam intensely; how should I treat her? He (peace be upon him) said: Treat her well.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:2620
If a disbeliever or polytheist treats Muslims well, then they should also be treated well.
[عن جبير بن مطعم، عن أبيه، أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال في أسارى بدر: لو كان المطعم بن عدي حيا، ثم كلمني في هؤلاء النتنى لتركتهم له]
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jubair bin Mut'im رضي الله عنه that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said about the prisoners of Badr: If Mut'im bin Adi were alive today and asked me to release those filthy prisoners for his sake, I would have released them for his sake.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 4024
Explanation:
Mut'im bin Adi was a polytheist, but when the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم returned from Ta'if in a distressed and wounded state, Mut'im bin Adi gave him refuge to enter Mecca. To repay this favor, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم uttered these words.
There is reward and merit even in helping a disbeliever or polytheist in distress.
[عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، قال: بينا رجل يمشي فاشتد عليه العطش، فنزل بئرا فشرب منها، ثم خرج، فإذا هو بكلب يلهث يأكل الثرى من العطش، فقال: لقد بلغ هذا مثل الذي بلغ بي، فملأ خفه، ثم أمسكه بفيه، ثم رقي، فسقى الكلب، فشكر الله له، فغفر له، قالوا: يا رسول الله، وإن لنا في البهائم أجرا، قال: في كل كبد رطبة أجر]
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: A man was traveling on a journey when he became very thirsty. He found a well, went down into it, drank water, and came out. He saw a dog licking mud due to extreme thirst. The man thought that the dog must be suffering from thirst just as he was, so he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it in his mouth, and gave water to the dog. Allah appreciated this act of his and forgave him. The Companions (RA) asked: O Messenger of Allah (SAW)! Is there reward for kindness to animals as well? He (SAW) replied: There is reward for kindness to every living being.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:2363
It is forbidden to kill disbelievers and polytheists who do not participate in fighting during war.
[عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما، قال: وجدت امرأة مقتولة في بعض مغازي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فنهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم عن قتل النساء، والصبيان]
Our master Abdullah bin Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, says that in a battle, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saw a woman killed and forbade the killing of women and children.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:3015
It is forbidden to kill after granting safety to a disbeliever or polytheist.
[عن عمرو بن الحمق الخزاعي قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من أمن رجلا على دمه فقتله، فإنه يحمل لواء غدر يوم القيامة]
Our master Amr bin Hamq Khuzai, may Allah be pleased with him, says that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Whoever kills someone after granting them safety will carry the banner of treachery on the Day of Resurrection.
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah:2688
There is no compulsion for disbelievers or polytheists to accept Islam.
[لَاۤ اِکۡرَاہَ فِی الدِّیۡنِ ۟ۙ قَدۡ تَّبَیَّنَ الرُّشۡدُ مِنَ الۡغَیِّ ۚ فَمَنۡ یَّکۡفُرۡ بِالطَّاغُوۡتِ وَ یُؤۡمِنۡۢ بِاللّٰہِ فَقَدِ اسۡتَمۡسَکَ بِالۡعُرۡوَۃِ الۡوُثۡقٰی لَا انۡفِصَامَ لَہَا ؕ وَ اللّٰہُ سَمِیۡعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ]
There is no compulsion in religion; right and wrong are clearly distinguished. Whoever rejects false gods and believes in Allah has grasped a firm handhold that will never break. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Reference: (Surah Al-Baqarah:256)
During war, if a disbeliever or polytheist wants to understand Islamic teachings, they should be given refuge and taught the religion. If they do not believe, they should be safely returned to their place.
[وَ اِنۡ اَحَدٌ مِّنَ الۡمُشۡرِکِیۡنَ اسۡتَجَارَکَ فَاَجِرۡہُ حَتّٰی یَسۡمَعَ کَلٰمَ اللّٰہِ ثُمَّ اَبۡلِغۡہُ مَاۡمَنَہٗ ؕ ذٰلِکَ بِاَنَّہُمۡ قَوۡمٌ لَّا یَعۡلَمُوۡنَ]
And if any of the polytheists seeks your protection so that they may hear the words of Allah, then grant them protection until they have heard the words of Allah; then deliver them to their place of safety. That is because they are a people who do not know.
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:6)
Visiting a disbeliever or polytheist for religious benefit is permissible.
[عن أنس رضي الله عنه، أن غلاما ليهود كان يخدم النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فمرض، فأتاه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يعوده، فقال: أسلم فأسلم]
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). When he became ill, the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to visit him and after the visit said to him: Become a Muslim, and he became Muslim.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari:1356
It is permissible to pray for guidance for disbelievers and polytheists during their lifetime.
[عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه، قدم الطفيل بن عمرو على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: يا رسول الله، إن دوسا قد عصت وأبت، فادع الله عليها، فظن الناس أنه يدعو عليهم، فقال: اللهم اهد دوسا وأت بهم]
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that Sayyiduna Tufail bin Amr رضي الله عنه (from the Daws tribe) came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم and said: O Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم! The tribe of Daws has disobeyed (Allah and His Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم) and refused to believe; please curse them. People thought that you صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم would indeed curse them, but the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said: O Allah! Guide the tribe of Daws and bring them to me.
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari: 4392
Explanation:
After the prayer of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, the tribe of Daws embraced faith and came to the presence of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
